


The Third Wheel

by MarzgaPerez



Series: Strange Bedfellows [2]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Acceptance, Banter, Celebrations, Co-workers, F/M, Friendship, Love Knows No Boundaries, More Fun Puns, Morning Cuddles, Reveal, Secret Relationship, Sneaking Around, The Thrills of New Love, Third Wheels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-05-30 23:54:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6447199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarzgaPerez/pseuds/MarzgaPerez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few weeks have passed, and Judy and Nick are crazy in love. They haven't revealed their relationship to anyone at work. </p><p>Oh, and Clawhauser has decided to make Judy his new best friend.</p><p>Note: Best to read Part 1 first, especially if you like the sugary sweetness of the Judy/Nick pairing. :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Judy!" Clawhauser called out to her, but it sounded more like _Jud-eeeee_! She knew from his tone that he wanted something.

Judy turned to walk towards the front counter and then hopped up next to Clawhauser. “What’s up?”

He had his laptop open. "Browsing profiles on Zoosk."

"Any luck with finding a mate?"

"Nope. Just a jaguar who wanted to take things too fast and a leopard who liked wearing everything in leopard print. The horrors! I'm so sick of being single."

"Aww…why don't you stick with dating other cheetahs? Isn't it less complicated that way? You know what to expect."

"Why, Judy...that seems awfully small-minded of you. Don't tell me you've only ever been with rabbits...no hares?"

Judy began to stammer. "Oh, well...I, um, think you should date whomever you like...from whatever species...I just thought for you...maybe another cheetah because, well, you haven't had much luck with those other cats."

Judy didn't know why she'd made that suggestion to Clawhauser. After all, she had found love outside of her speciel family and was quite content.

"Maybe I just need to focus on me right now." Clawhauser closed his laptop and rested his chin in his hands. 

"That makes sense." Judy patted him on the shoulder. "So...I'll see you in the morning?"

Judy didn't mean to brush off her friend, but she was supposed to meet Nick at the Caribou Coffee a few blocks from the station. He'd been in a special training all day and had texted her that morning:  _Miss U. Meet for some coffee?_

They thought it best to keep their newly budding relationship a secret, knowing that Chief Bogo would reassign them to other partners if he found out. So far, it hadn't occurred to anyone at the ZPD that they were a couple. After all, it was almost unfathomable, even in an ever-evolving city like Zootopia, that a rabbit and a fox could be linked romantically. At least Judy's neighbors seemed to be supportive, although maybe a bit too involved. Thank goodness they usually went out for dinner, and she and Nick could have a few hours of alone time without their constant commentary.

Judy sighed contentedly before hopping off the counter. She wanted to get to the coffee place before Nick and order his favorite mocha latte with extra foam. Her thoughts had turned to that cute little mustache that Nick always got from chugging his drink.

"Judy, wait! I didn't have a chance to ask you my question."

"Oh, right! What is it?"

"How about coming over to my place tonight? We can order a pizza. I've got wine!" Clawhauser said that last part in a sing-songy voice.

Judy looked at her watch, then the door, and then back at her friend in need, thumping her foot nervously as she thought of a response. "Gee, that would be great...but I don't want to intrude on your bro time with Nick."

"Nick? Humph! He either gets home after I’ve gone to bed, or he's sequestered in his room using FaceTime with his lady love."

Judy couldn't help but smile, but she quickly changed her expression so as not to give anything away. "Oh, yes. His _lady love_. He's mentioned her a few times to me."

"She must be something special. When I do see him in the apartment, he's walking around in some kind of love trance. It gets revolting after a while."

"I can only imagine." Judy wanted to appear sympathetic, but her heart was fluttering, just imagining her lovelorn fox.

And of course, speak of the devil. Who should come traipsing by in that moment but Nick, shades resting on his head and whistling a cheery tune. Clawhauser mumbled under his breath. "O-nay ore-may ick-nay alk-tay." Then he proudly added, "I grew up next to a family of pigs. They taught me Latin."

Nick was surprised to see Judy still hanging around the station. They usually tried to stagger when they left for the day. He walked over to give her a friendly slap on the back. "Partner! How did you manage to survive without me today?"

Judy launched into their usual act. "It was pretty much like any other day, except you weren't around to set off car alarms with your snoring."

Nick put a hand over his heart and grimaced. "Oh, how you wound me. I can't wait until we're together again tomorrow, Hopps. See you later."

Clawhauser had been watching their banter. "You two - just like brother and sister." He extended his claws and hissed at them playfully. "Well, fear not, Nick. You'll get some QT with Judy after all. She's coming over for pizza tonight! What do you think? Can you tear yourself away from your mystery girl for one evening?"

Nick looked at Judy, and she returned his gaze with a sort of helpless expression and then a smirk.

"Okay, I'm in. But no carrots on the pizza."

Judy responded matter of factly. “You know, I do eat other kinds of foods.”

“Fine…and no cabbage.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clawhauser is a gracious host, but Judy and Nick wouldn't mind some alone time.

“So come on in!” Clawhauser bounded inside, arms in the air, excited to show off his home. Judy stood in the doorway, admiring the regalness of the apartment, mouth agape, as Nick brushed past her and joined Clawhauser by the sofa.

Everything in the apartment was white. White furniture, white walls, white carpet. And if it wasn’t white, it was glass. Judy was afraid to move for fear of knocking something out of place.

“What’s the matter, Carrots?” Nick was amused by her wonderment.

“Yeah, Judy. What did you expect? A shrine to Gazelle?” Clawhauser laughed at his own joke and then confessed. “The shrine’s actually in my bedroom.”

“Clawhauser…it’s gorgeous.”

“Thank you, Judy. But you can call me Benjamin when we’re not at work. And please make yourself at home. I’ll go fix us some drinks and order the pizza.”

“Oh…okay. Thanks.” Judy nodded along absent-mindedly, but she really wanted to go back outside the door and wipe her feet on the mat again.

“Nick, show her around, huh?”

“Sure thing. Let me give you the tour, Hopps.” Once he was sure Clawhasuer was in the kitchen, Nick grabbed ahold of Judy’s hand and started to lead her to a room just off the main living area. “Let’s start with my room, but I must warn you…it’s not as pristine as the rest of the place.”

Judy thought he was going to flip on the light, but instead he wheeled her inside the dark room and lifted her against the wall, pressing his body into hers and kissing her tenderly. She melted into his kiss.

“I’ve been waiting to do that all day.” Nick nuzzled Judy’s neck and smiled.

“I’ve been waiting for you to do that all day.” She wrapped her arms around him tighter and was about to kiss him again when –

“Hey, guys! Guys?” They heard Clawhauser approaching, so Nick turned on the light and moved swiftly to the other side of the room. Judy was still dizzy from the kiss, but when she got her bearings, she noticed that she was surrounded by clutter – piles and piles of stuff.  

Nick was quick with an explanation. “I haven’t had time to unpack yet. And it’s been hard to cram all of my worldly possessions into this one room.”

“Of course, I understand.” Judy would have to remember to help him organize his room.

Clawhauser joined them. He let out a gasp when he walked inside the room. “Oh, sorry, Nick. I promised him I would stop doing that. I just can’t get used to this mess. I mean, the room was just so bare before, and now it looks…”   

“Lived in?”

“Why, yes. Yes, it does. You just made it your own, didn’t you? But I don’t mind, nope, sure don’t. You stay as long as you like, and do whatever you need to do.” Clawhauser began to back out of the room as if the clutter was contagious and would somehow infect him and the rest of the apartment.

“C’mon, Judy. Let me show you my other rooms…and my collection of Gazelle memorabilia. It’s quite impressive.”

Judy followed Clawhauser out of the room and on her way out, she noticed a picture of a family tucked into the corner of the dresser mirror. There was a mother and a father and a smaller fox, who she assumed was Nick.

“You were a cutie.”

“Still am.” 

^^^^^^^^^^

They ate dinner in the kitchen, and Clawhauser entertained them with stories about his days at the police academy. _I wasn’t always this huggable, you know, I used to work out_. Afterwards, they polished off a box of donuts and a bottle of wine while watching television in the main room. Clawhauser was sitting in between Nick and Judy with his feet propped up on the coffee table. He had one arm around each of them, squeezing them close to his sides as if they were stuffed animals he had just won at a carnival game.

“Ooh! I think there’s a new episode of _The Stud_ on tonight. Judy, are you familiar? It’s a reality show about an unattached colt who dates 25 available fillies, and chaos ensues…until the colt finds his true love and gives her a bucket of oats and an engagement ring if she’s lucky.”

“Can’t say I’ve heard of it.”

Nick chimed in. “Oh, it’s fascinating. We tune in every week.”

Clawhuaser rolled his eyes. “Well, we could find something that both of us like if you would ever come out of your room. Judy, you should feel honored that Nick is gracing us with his presence tonight...anyway, Judy, what do you like to watch?”

“Not much. I don’t even have a TV."

“Must be awfully dull at your place.”

Judy looked across Clawhauser’s belly at the smirk on Nick’s face. Then she responded. “Oh, I’ve been finding ways to stay entertained.”

“Of course you have! There’s so much to do in Zootopia. And you’re probably sleeping a lot, what with how busy we’ve been at work.” Clawhauser then released his companions as he lifted his arms to stretch, and he let out a yawn.

“Speaking of which, I’m getting kinda tired. Judy, you’re welcome to stay a little longer, but I’m not going to be much company. It’s getting close to my bed…”

And he was out. The room was suddenly quiet, except for the sound coming from the television.

“Psst!” Nick whispered.

“What?” Judy whispered back, leaning over to meet his eyes. He nodded at her, and they both delicately rose up on the sofa to see if Clawhauser was really asleep. It appeared so.

“Do you think we should wake him up? He’ll probably be more comfortable in his room.”  

Nick began shaking his head. “No, let’s not. Then you’ll have to leave.”  

“But maybe I should be getting home.”

“Why? We don’t have to work tomorrow. Stay here for the night. You haven’t slept over at my place before.” And then Nick put on his best smoldering look, which always put her under his spell.

“Okay. Why not?”

Judy placed a pillow next to the arm of the sofa, and they pulled Clawhauser back until he was resting more comfortably. She covered him with a blanket.

And then Nick swept Judy off of her feet, literally, and carried her towards his room. “M’lady. It’s been a struggle to keep my paws off of you this evening. I can only resist you for so long.”

She had to stifle a laugh so as not to rouse Clawhauser. "I guess we'll have to make up for lost time then."

Nick closed the door behind them with his foot.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the next morning, and Judy plots to leave the apartment undetected.

Nick felt a familiar aching in his neck and back. But he didn't really mind the pain since there was a sweet warm bunny curled up in his arms.

As he slowly opened one eye, Nick noticed that Judy was still sound asleep. Even in her peaceful slumber, she seemed to be pondering something, her lips moving slightly. Every once in a while, she would furrow her brow as if trying to solve a mystery.

He ran his fingers gently over her long ears, and then he leaned in to kiss her nose. This elicited a small giggle from Judy, and she briefly opened her eyes, fluttering her eye lids rapidly until she adjusted to the dim light in the room. When she realized that Nick's eyes were upon her, she returned his sly grin.

"You."

"Yes. Me. Who were you expecting?"

"You kept me up all night." Then Judy smiled and kissed Nick as he pulled her closer. She muttered into his chest. "Do you think Clawhauser heard us?"

"Benjamin? Well, he didn't pop his head in the room to check on me, so he's probably right where we left him. That wine must have done him in."

“Should I try to sneak past him?”

“Hmmm. And where, pray tell, are you going?”

“Oh…well…I don’t want Clawhauser to find me here. I figured that I should leave before he wakes up.”

“I see. You just use me and then toss me aside, ready to scamper off to your next conquest.”

Judy laughed and jumped on top of Nick, planting a kiss on his cheek. “You’ll be alright...and thank you. It was nice.”

He turned quickly and pinned her down. Judy’s typical reaction would have been to flip him over with the force of her hind legs, but since it was Nick, she decided to stay underneath him.

“Nice? Nice is what you’d call your mother’s blueberry cobbler. It was more than nice.”

“Actually, her blueberry cobbler is pretty fabulous. I’ll have to bring you some.”

“You do that. And here’s an idea. Let’s stay in bed all day. You and me, Carrots. We don’t see nearly enough of each other. I’ll just tell Clawhauser that I’m cleaning my room and don’t want any interruptions.”

 _Yes_ , Judy thought to herself, _I would like to spend the day with Nick_. She wished they could be free to come and go as they pleased. Free from the gawking eyes of other animals when they held hands in public. Free from worrying about anyone at the ZPD finding out about their relationship.

And how was she going to tell her parents about Nick? Sure, they were fairly progressive, especially compared to the rest of the colony in Bunnyborrow, but maybe this would be too much. And what would Nick’s mom say? Or his dad? She wasn’t even sure yet if Nick kept in touch with his parents.

Nick could see the wheels turning in Judy’s head. “Relax, Carrots. It was just a suggestion. Or are you trying to figure out how to organize my room?”

Judy scoffed. “You’ll need a professional to tackle this mess. Look, why don’t I slip out now, and we can meet at the park downtown later today? And then you can stay over at my place tonight.”

“If that’s your best offer, I’m in. But my idea was clearly better.”

“One of these days. Maybe when we’re both off duty and Clawhauser has a shift, I’ll come over here, and it’s pillow city all day. We won’t leave this bed. But for now, let me try to see if Clawhauser's awake.”

“Okay, but be careful. He’s stealthier than he looks.”

Judy quietly hopped off the bed and stepped over to the door. Nick watched her from across the room, appreciating how adorable she looked in his ZPD t-shirt, which she had thrown on before they went to bed. It was too big for her, but it was hanging just so that her soft white tail was peeking out from underneath the shirt. He whistled at her.

Judy looked over her shoulder and shushed him, carefully turning the door knob and opening the door just a smidge. She could see Clawhauer’s feet draped over the arm of the sofa, and they were twitching back and forth.

“Well?”

She closed the door and walked backwards towards Nick, who was still resting on the bed. “I can’t tell if he’s still asleep or just lying there day dreaming.”

“I can sneak you out in my gym bag. Or there’s always the window. We’re only on the second story.”

Judy pondered both suggestions before deciding on the window. She wasn’t crazy about hiding out in Nick’s gym bag, which she managed to spot in a corner of the room mostly covered with dirty laundry.  

“The window it is. And I’ll see you in a few hours. Meet at the fountain?”

“Okay. Do you want me to walk you to the subway station?”

“No, stay here and rest. You deserve it.”

“Can I get my t-shirt back?”

Judy looked down and realized she was about to leave the apartment wearing only the ZPD t-shirt.

“Fine, but cover your eyes.”

“Sure, I will, Carrots.”

Judy slipped on her outfit from the day before, and she tossed the t-shirt onto one of the many piles of stuff.

“Hey! You’re not helping the cause.”

“I’d put it in a drawer or a closet if I could find one. By the way, don’t I get a good-bye kiss?”

“Absolutely, but don’t try to stick around for more than one.” Nick met Judy at the window and kissed the top of her head. “Be careful out there.”

She lunged at him, knocking him onto the ground and playfully biting into his neck before finding his mouth.

“You kiss like a predator, Carrots.” Nick cradled her face in his hands before planting one last kiss on her lips.

“What can I say? You bring out my wild side.”

Nick scooped her up and lifted her to the window ledge. Judy opened the window and poked her head out to assess how she was going to hop down. Lucky for her, there was a family of giraffes about to pass by.

“Hi, there! Over here! Can I get a lift?” She waved to what appeared to be the father in the group. He looked puzzled for a second but then nodded and braced himself for Judy to land on his neck and then shimmer down. She landed on the pavement without a hitch. “Thank you, kind sir.”

She waited until the entire family passed by before looking up at Nick and waving good-bye. He winked at her and then turned to close the window, probably going back to bed. _Lucky fox_. _Not a care in the world._

No, she knew that wasn’t entirely the case. Nick was capable of caring very deeply. She started to walk with a spring in her step, just thinking about how much they truly cared about each other.

She was distracted enough by her happy thoughts not to notice a familiar figure standing in the entrance way of the apartment building. But he wasn’t going to let her pass without making his presence known.

“Ahem.”

Judy turned to face the figure and gulped. Benjamin Clawhauser!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clawhauser and Judy have a heart-to-heart.

"I knew it!" Clawhauser lifted his fist in the air triumphantly and stood smugly in front of Judy.  
  
"W-what do you mean?" Judy felt a blush spread across her face and a nervous knot forming in the pit of her stomach. She never was very good at being caught in a lie.  
  
"Oh, Officer Hopps. I'm sure you think they only keep me around the ZPD for my sparkling personality, but alas, I am quite the sleuth. I knew there was something going on between you and Nick!"  
  
Judy responded with a stilted laugh. "What? Nick? My partner? That dumb fox? What makes you think –"  
  
"Please. You can cut the charade. And don't tell me you just happened to be in the neighborhood."  
  
"Yes! I mean, no. I came over on purpose...to...to...thank you for such a fun evening...and to...take you out for coffee...and donuts!"  
  
"Uh-huh. Bribing an officer, are we? You think you can wave a few frosted halos of sugary goodness in front of my face, and I'll magically forget that I just saw you jump out of Nick's bedroom window? Hmmm?"

Judy tried frantically to think of another excuse, but her nose began to twitch and a sob started to build in her chest. A look of extreme panic spread across her face. Clawhauser began to pat her gingerly on the back out of concern.

“Judy, Judy. It’s okay. Don’t get upset. You know keeping secrets isn’t my strong suit, but I can keep a lid on this. Honest.” He continued patting her on the back until she released her breath and eventually managed a half smile.

“Thanks, Benjamin. I just, I’m not ready to...” She shook her head as her ears lowered behind her.

“What’s the matter? Are you ashamed? Nick’s quite a catch. It’s not your typical match, but hey, love knows no boundaries. I’m pretty sure someone famous said that.”

Judy wasn’t so much ashamed about her feelings for Nick but more embarrassed about being found out. It wasn’t in her nature to be deceitful, and despite the thrill of their secret romance, Judy was actually relieved to have been discovered.    

“The more I think about it, the happier I am that you know. It’s about time we stopped hiding our relationship from everyone. Nick means a lot to me. And I don’t care what anyone else thinks. Maybe I’ll give my parents a call right now and tell them. I’m an adult, and like you said, love knows no boundaries!”

Judy went to reach for her cell phone, but Clawhauser grabbed ahold of her hand. “Now, Judy. No need to do anything rash. You’ll tell them in person, give them a chance to digest the information, and everything will be fine. C’mon. I want to take you my favorite bakery. We can chat some more, and you can tell me all of the juicy details…like what was it that made you go gaga for Señor Slick Nick.”

“We don’t just have to talk about me and Nick. I want to get to know you better too.”

“I should hope so, after you used me as a pawn in your scheme to spend the night with a certain sly predator.”

Judy laughed and nudged Clawhauser’s side. “That wasn’t my intention. But one thing led to another.”

“Okay, Hopps. I’ll let you off with a warning this time.”  

^^^^^^^^^^

The coffee was fresh brewed and delicious, as was the piece of carrot cake that Clawhauser had purchased for Judy.

“You do like carrots, right? That’s not a stereotype about rabbits?”

Judy smiled. “No, not at all. Carrots are a staple in our diet. A few of my sisters went through a rebellious phase where they refused to eat carrots – said it was cruelty against nature to yank them from the earth. My parents didn’t really know what to feed them. That phase maybe lasted about two days. They got hungry.”

Clawhauser chuckled as he devoured another glazed donut and licked each of his fingers. “So…maybe another stereotype, but do you have a pretty big family?”

“Yes. It's very common for bunnies to…multiply…exponentially. What about you? Are you close to your parents? Have any siblings?”

Clawhauser’s mood changed suddenly, and he pushed the half empty box of donuts away from him. “We’re not as close as we used to be.” A wave of sadness crossed over his face.

“Benjamin, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up a sensitive subject.”

“No, it’s fine. You of all mammals can probably relate."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know. Having an unconventional mate – a fox and a bunny? That has to be a first. And then there’s the fear of being rejected by everyone who's important to you when you tell them the truth. And even the ones who aren't so important to you, they're still quick to judge you."

"Is this about you dating jaguars and leopards?"

He leaned in to talk in a softer voice. "Um, no. I'd say it's more about the fact that I prefer...the male variety." Clawhauser looked down at his lap, but he lifted his eyes back up just enough to watch Judy’s reaction.

She was trying to appear accepting, but she was confused. "Wait...what?"

"I thought maybe you knew already. Nick does. Several of the guys on the force are aware. But it's still considered irregular in some circles."

"No, I didn’t. Wait, is that why your place is so tidy?"

Clawhauser stared back at Judy with a skeptical glare. “Judy, now that is a stereotype. I just happen to like nice things, and I don’t like a lot of clutter. My ex was a complete slob – no offense to Nick – and I’ve never fully recovered from the way we ended things. Even that was messy.” 

“Oh! I’m sorry about the tidy comment…and about your…friend. Thanks for sharing that with me, but I don’t have much experience with…um…”

“Don’t tell me that there were no birds of a feather flocking together in Bunnyburrow?”

Judy thought about it for a moment. “Not really…I guess? My mom and dad would let us watch _Will and Grace_ sometimes, but looking back, I’m pretty sure they thought Will and Grace would eventually get together romantically.”

“Oh, that show. There are some much more daring portrayals of gay mammals these days, although that Will was one adorable penguin.”

Judy nodded in agreement, but she was unsure of what to say next. Clawhauser spoke up.

“Well, there it is. We love who we love, right? So if I can survive a strained relationship with my family and a few awkward stares and an occasional jeer, I know you’ll be alright.”

Judy reached for Clawhauser’s hands. It was sweet of him to make this about her when he had just shared something deeply personal and important. And tried to minimize his pain so that she wouldn’t worry.

“We’ll have each other’s backs.”

“Yes, and you can stop trying to set me up with your cougar friend Molly.”

“True. I thought maybe she was too old for you.”

“Nope, too female.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy goes to meet Nick at the park. A few things are revealed...

It was a perfect afternoon in the Central Plaza. No matter the zone, mammals of all varieties seemed to flock to the park. The sun was always perfectly balanced in the sky, emitting just the right amount of warmth that was agreeable to most inhabitants of Zootopia.

But Judy was only concentrating on finding one animal in particular - her fox. And she was extremely dismayed that he was not waiting for her at their agreed upon rendezvous. Not that she blamed him. After all, she was an hour late.

Judy checked her phone for a response to her frantic text messages. Still nothing. She climbed on the bench, ears drooping and shoulders hunched over. It was not like her to be late, but she had lost track of time when she was with Clawhauser. Surely Nick would understand once she explained it to him.

Judy's eyes darted around the park, searching for Nick's familiar green shirt. It was still his go-to outfit when he wasn't in uniform. But her gaze seemed to land on the various couples that were peppered around the park. Pachyderms holding trunks, lions linking paws, and even the tiniest of mice had their tails entwined as they walked happily along, oblivious to the world and so in love. Something that usually made her happy was causing her to feel nauseous.

"Carrots!"

Judy's heart skipped a beat, and she shook away her feelings of angst. Nick came around from behind her, and she was so glad to see him that she flung her arms around him and kissed him. Nick didn't mind the affection, but it wasn't like Judy to be physical with him in public. Sure, they would hold hands on occasion, but mostly after nightfall, when it was too dark for anyone to notice. 

Judy opened her eyes mid-kiss and noticed that all of the activity around them had stopped. Everyone was probably watching them. She pulled away from the kiss and sat back down on the bench, patting the spot beside her for Nick.

"Tsk, tsk. Really, Hopps? PDA? Are you feeling guilty about almost standing me up?"

"Maybe just a little...but I texted you to let you know I was running late. Why didn't you reply?"

Nick held up his phone and pointed to the corner of the screen. "No bars. See? I really need to switch to Horizon. So...is everything okay?"

"Yes, it's fine. Everything is fine. By the way, did you happen to see Clawhauser before you left?"

"Nope. I think he was gone all morning, but of course...I was asleep until just a few minutes before our date. Why? Is he here too?"

"I don't think so...but I did run into him earlier...right outside of your apartment building..." Judy raised her eyebrows and nodded at Nick to fill in the blanks. It didn't take him long to understand what she was implying.

"Oh! Oh...yeah...I told you he was pretty crafty. So what did he say?"

Judy was glad that Nick didn't seem too worried about the reveal. "He was very sweet, promised not to tell anyone. Said he understood about loving someone, you know, different than the norm. He told me about..."

"About?"

"You know..."

Nick continued to wait for Judy to finish her thought. He was completely puzzled.

"How he likes...other males..."

Nick smiled warmly at Judy and took her hand. "Carrots, was that really news to you?"

"Well...yes...I never thought much about it..."

"And now you're going to tell me that you didn't know about your neighbors."

"My neighbors?"

"The antelopes. The fact that they're a couple?"

"What?!?" Judy seemed truly astonished. Just how oblivious was she?

"Oh...Carrots." Nick placed his hands on her cheeks gently and bent over to kiss her on the nose. "You’re adorable."

She swatted at him and sat back on the bench with her arms crossed. Nick continued to chuckle.

"It's not funny."

"Maybe just a little. C'mon, Carrots. You still have a lot to learn."

Judy shook her head. "I know. I'm just a dumb bunny from Hicktown. It's a good thing I have such a worldly partner to show me the ropes."

"You're not really mad, are you?"

"No. I'm just...stressed. On the one hand, it's kind of nice that someone else knows about us -"

"And if Clawhauser knows, everyone will..."

"But on the other hand, it puts more pressure on us...at work, out in public, with our families. I just didn't really think about the consequences. I mean, I guess I'm naive about certain things because I’ve never really cared about tradition or _the way things are supposed to be_. Who you should or shouldn't love - it's just one more thing that the world tries to dictate to you." Judy figured she wasn't making any sense, but she was sleep-deprived and overwhelmed with a lot of different emotions. She buried her face into Nick's shoulder.

"Hey, hey, hey...Judy? Listen. You're gonna be fine. We're gonna be fine. Haven't we already broken the mold a few times and lived to tell? And Clawhauser will be fine. Did you know that for as many mammals that are closed-minded, there are two times more open-minded mammals? And look how happy Bucky and Pronk are...or look how unhappy they are...but they're still together."

"Who?"

"Bucky and Pronk. Your neighbors?"

"Oh, right. I knew that."

“Look. We’ll figure this out as we go. I’m just relieved that you’ve managed to look past all my other stuff. Forget about the fact that I’m not a rabbit…”

“Other stuff?”

“Yeah, you know. My insecurities and seemingly shady ways...and my hoarding.”

“Nick, please. What about me and my _life is like a bowl of cherries_ mentality and the fact that I’ve never been in love before, and I don’t know what I’m doing…”

“There it is!”

“What?”

Nick looked at her smugly. “You do love me.”

“Of course…wait…was I not supposed to say that?” 

“No, you were. I wanted you to be the first one, even though I’ve known that I love you for a while now. And I’m going to kiss you again, right here, with everyone watching. And they’re going to stare. Let them…but it’s probably because they’ve never seen such a kiss so tender, so glorious, so beautiful, so -”

And then Judy couldn’t take it any longer, and she planted a long and deep kiss on Nick's mouth just to shut him up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fast forward 3 months...

Nick fumbled around for his keys. He wanted to grab a shower and change before he started working on dinner. It was the six month anniversary of his first kiss with Judy. And more than anything, he wanted to surprise her with the fact that he had remembered, plus a delicious meal - or at least something edible - and a very important question. He needed to hurry because Judy was usually prompt if not early.

Nick managed to turn the key in the lock and push the door open while balancing a few bags of groceries and a bouquet of flowers. He rushed inside and headed towards the kitchen, briefly saying hello to Clawhauser but then stopping in his tracks.

 _Wait, why is Benji home? And why is Judy with him?_ He dropped the bags of groceries and tried to hide the flowers behind his back.

"Uh, Judy?"

"Hi, Nick!" She looked over at him with a warm smile briefly but then turned her eyes back to the television. "How was work today?"

"It was...fine."

"Yeah, Nicky. Did you miss us?" Clawhauser was also entranced by whatever they were watching, and he was shoving gobs of popcorn into his mouth. 

"Of course. What are you two watching?" Nick started to inch the bags towards the kitchen as he slowly stepped backwards, hoping that Judy wouldn't notice.

"There's a marathon of _The Stud_ on ZBS. Benjamin and I realized we both had the day off, so he invited me over."

"Neat. Yeah, great show. Um, Benji, I thought you were going to visit your sister. Remember, I had asked you about using the apartment tonight?"

"Yeah, she had to cancel. Her cubs have fleas, got them from some other cubs at school."

"Gee...sorry to hear that but about tonight..."

Judy picked up on the impatient tone in Nick's voice. "Ben, I'll be back in a minute. I need to talk with Nick."

"Sure! I'll wait for you right here." 

Judy hopped over the back of the sofa and greeted Nick with a hug. Then she shifted her eyes over her shoulder in the direction of Benjamin and whispered in Nick's ear. "He got dumped today."

"Oh. Poor guy."

"I know. Maybe we should keep him company?"

"But..." Nick sheepishly pulled the flowers from behind his back and presented them to her.

"Happy Anniversary, Carrots."

She looked thrilled but also puzzled. "Thanks, Nick! Anniversary?"

"Of our first kiss."

"Really?"

"And I thought you were supposed to be the romantic one."

"I guess I'm slipping. Of course, I'll never forget that kiss...since it was my idea. How about another one right now?" Judy stood on her tiptoes, and Nick leaned down to meet her half way. The flowers dropped to the floor, and Judy pushed him back into the door frame of the kitchen. Their lips were still locked when they finally noticed Clawhauser standing close by, tapping his foot.

"Ahem. Pardon me. I need a refill on popcorn. And maybe you two could get a room?" Clawhauser snickered at this own joke and then shuffled past them.

Nick winked at Judy and nodded in the direction of his room.

"Now?"

"No, no. I just wanted to finish our conversation."

"Oh, okay."

They walked together to Nick's room, and when Nick flipped on the light, Judy was secretly relieved to see that he had kept the room semi-organized after a recent intervention. Clawhauser had reached out to her for help when he couldn't find Nick one day, amongst all his stuff.

"So...surprise! I'm going to cook dinner for you."

"That's really sweet. Um...but what about Benjamin?"

"I feel for the guy, I really do, and it's kind of you to be so worried. But don't you think he'll feel worse, knowing that he's encroaching on our romantic dinner? Won't he end up feeling more like a third wheel?"

"I dunno. I guess you're-"

All of a sudden, they both heard the sound of glass shattering, and they quickly headed for the kitchen to find Clawhauser standing in a puddle of spilled milk and shattered glass.

"I'm such a clumsy fool. All paws. No wonder Leopold broke up with me."

"Aww, sweetie. There, there. You're not a fool." Judy gingerly stepped around the mess and sprang up on the counter, patting Clawhauser's shoulder. "You go back in the living room, and I'll fix you a nice glass of wine. Nick and I will clean this up. And then Nick's going to make dinner for us. Isn't that right, honey?"

"Honey? Oh, you mean me? Yes, yes. I'll take care of this. The two of you can go back to watching your show. Sorry to hear about the break up, Benji. His loss."

"No, no. Don't worry about me. I don't want to intrude on your date. I'll just stay in my room. It'll be like I'm not even here."

Judy stared at Nick as if to say _do something. Change his mind. Talk him off the ledge._

"Buddy, really. Please join us. We'll have a celebration of...friendship. You've done so much for me...and Judy, giving me a place to stay and keeping our relationship a secret for so long. How about it? Have dinner with us?"

Clawhauser hesitated for a second and then nodded appreciatively while Judy directed him away from the shards of glass and accompanied him back to the sofa. She mouthed the words _thank you_ to Nick as she passed by, and he couldn't help but smile to himself about the situation. Eh, who was he kidding? _I'm clearly the more romantic one,_  Nick thought, as he patted the small item in his shirt pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a brief hiatus to write GoT fanfic, but I've missed writing about these three. I haven't decided if Nick is going to propose. Too cheesy? I guess Finnick could be his best man and Clawhauser could be Judy's. I hope to update soon!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clawhauser takes his third wheel status to a new level.

"I guess the noodles are a bit...chewy." Nick shrugged his shoulders and looked over at his dinner companions.

Judy smiled warmly and slowly finished chewing her last bite of vegetable lasagna. "No, it's...delicious."

"Thanks, Carrots. I tried. Benji?"

"Um...normally I would ask for seconds, but I ate all that popcorn earlier."

"Well, I hope you saved room for dessert."

"Is that what I smell burning?"

"The brownies!" Nick jumped out of his seat and scampered into the kitchen.

While Nick clamored around in the kitchen, Judy and Benjamin chatted about the upcoming company picnic. Nick finally returned with three small plates of steaming brown goo, each with a dollop of cream melting off to the side. "Funny. The edges of the brownies were burnt to a crisp, but the center barely cooked at all. Eh...it's still chocolate, right?"

Benjamin started to scoot away from the table as Nick set the plates in front of them. "You know, I've intruded on your dinner date long enough. Maybe I'll come back later for dessert."

"Suit yourself, buddy." Good. His terrible cooking was finally going to afford Nick some alone time with Judy.

"Get some rest, Benjamin." Judy watched her friend plod over to his room. "Poor guy."

"You're nice to be so concerned." He waited for what he thought was a respectful amount of time before changing the subject. "So...I bought us a bottle of champagne. I can't mess that up."

Judy laughed and turned her attention to Nick, patting his hand tenderly as she had been distracted with worry over Benjamin's situation. Judy realized that Nick had put a lot of thought into their dinner, even if his execution left something to be desired. "That sounds perfect."

"Sit tight. I'll be right back." Nick quickly returned with two tall glasses of golden bubbly champagne and a glimmer of mischief in his eye.

"What are you up to?"

" _Moi_? Why nothing at all. Here you go." Judy accepted the glass while continuing to keep an eye on Nick. She started to take a sip.

"Wait!" Nick put his hand up. "A toast. Let's raise our glasses. To us."

When Judy clinked her glass against Nick's, she noticed a slight rattling sound, and she spotted something floating near the bottom of the glass. It was round and sparkling and almost blended in with the champagne. Was it...?

"Nick?"

He watched as violet her eyes widened. The tips of her ears stood at attention, and her lips began to tremble. "For me?"

Nick nodded enthusiastically, too nervous to speak and hopeful that she would say yes. He took a deep breath and got down on one knee.

"Judy, I...well...you know I'm not always the most traditional guy, and I'm obviously a terrible cook and kind of a slob...but when I'm with you, I seem to be a better me. And I think that you're a better you - if that's even possible. So...what I'm trying to say is...will you marry me?" Nick gently pulled the glass from Judy's hand and lifted the ring out, drying it against his shirt. He looked up at her, anxiously awaiting her response, trying to keep from tipping over as his knees were shaking.

"Oh, Nick! Wow...just...wow! I mean...yes, yes, of course!" Judy leapt on top of him, and they fell back onto the floor, holding onto each other tightly for several minutes.

"Let's make it official." Nick slid the ring onto Judy's finger, but it was a few sizes too big. "Grandma Wilde had rather large paws. We'll get it resized."

"It's beautiful."

Nick helped Judy up and pulled her into his arms. "Mrs. Judy Wilde. I like how that sounds."

"Me too. I also like Officer Hopps-Wilde. I had no idea you were going to ask me..."

"How'd you like the ole ring in the champagne trick? I thought about putting it on top of the dessert...like so." Nick located one of the dessert plates and placed the ring in the center of the mostly melted whipped cream that was now swirling into the brown mush. "Yeah, not the presentation I was going for."

Judy smiled, but her mind was racing a mile a minute. "We have to call my parents...and I need to meet yours...and we'll need at least a year for planning...or maybe we should just elope, save ourselves the expense of a big wedding and having to deal with my close-minded relatives. My phone?! Where's my phone?!? I need to take a picture of the ring! And call my parents. Did I say that already?" She was running to and fro, searching frantically for her phone.

"Judy...it'll be okay. Relax. Come here." Nick rubbed her shoulders in a circular motion. "We should have fun with this...the wedding. I want to stand in front of our loved ones and let everyone know that I love you…and that I'd do anything for you." He drew her chin towards his and kissed her. She melted into his arms.

"Ugh! How many times do I have to say it?" Benjamin had quietly returned and was standing next to the table. "You two need to get a room!" He snickered as Nick and Judy finally broke away from their kiss.

"We might do that, buddy. But first, I think you should know that I just asked Judy -"

"This is actually pretty good, kind of like a dessert...soup." Benjamin had picked up his plate and was slurping up the dessert.

"Glad you like it. So, as I was saying..."

"Nick...wait." Judy cocked her head towards Benjamin. "Maybe now isn't the best time."

Clawhauser chimed in. "Best time for what?"

Nick looked over at Benji, who didn't seem as downtrodden as before. "He'll want to know."

"Want to know what?"

Nick couldn't contain his enthusiasm any longer. "I asked Judy to marry me, and she said yes!"

"What?! Oh, that makes me so happy! Let me see the ring! I'm sure it's gorgeous, no matter how tiny the rock. Let's see it!"

Nick beamed with pride. "Tiny rock? More like two carats for my Carrots." He started to look around on the table for the ring. "I left it right here..."

"You put it on top of one of the dessert, remember?"

Nick's paws were now covered in chocolate as he continued to search frantically. "It's not in either of these." 

"Benjamin's got one!" Judy hopped over and inspected his plate. "Empty."

Clawhauser giggled nervously and backed against the wall. "Just curious...did the brownies you made have walnuts in them?"

"No."

"Uh-oh. Um...guys?"

Judy slapped her paw against her forehead and groaned. Nick shook his head and grabbed the car keys from the mantle. "Guess we're taking you for a CAT scan."

^^^^^^^^^^

They were seated on plastic olive green chairs in the waiting room, both with eyes towards the exam room door.

"Are you mad?"

"Not with Benji. Maybe at myself. My mother told me to take special care of that ring."

"It'll be okay. Nick...I'd like to meet her...your mother."

"Of course."

"I guess she's still getting used to the idea of you marrying a rabbit?"

"Well...she gave me the ring, didn't she?" Nick squeezed Judy's shoulder lightly and kissed her on the forehead.

"Here comes Benjamin."

Nick got up and walked over to Benji. "Are you okay? Do you have it?"

"Well…the doctor found it on the scan...but he told me I'd have to pass it." Benji hung his head shamefully.

Nick sighed and patted him on the back as they walked towards Judy. "At least we know where it is..."

Judy chimed in. "We'll have quite a story to tell our kiddos about the day their parents got engaged."

"Kiddos?" Nick mumbled to himself and grew silent. Then a wide grin spread over his face. "That's right. And they are going to love their Uncle Benji.

“Phew! You guys are the best! I’m going to make it up to you, I promise. Maybe I can be your wedding planner! Or the officiant… or I could sing something…so many possibilities.”

The three of them walked out of the hospital, taking in the night air and the sounds of Zootopia still buzzing with activity. As Clawhauser prattled on with potential wedding ideas, Nick grabbed a hold of Judy’s hand and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “The best is yet to come, Officer Hopps...Wilde.”  


End file.
